Pioneer Douglas Woman Is Victim

of Sleeping Sickness
Mrs. John Chelewski Passes On Tuesday Morning After 10-Day Illness

Douglas Budget - August 28, 1941

Encephalitis (sleeping sickness) claimed the life of Mrs. John Chelewski Tuesday morning about 1:30 o'clock. She was ill but ten days, the last seven of them being spent in the Douglas hospital. Members of the family said she slept all through that period and died peacefully and without pain. She would have been 66 years of age next week.

Mrs. Chelewski had been a resident of this community for nearly forty years and has a world of friends who are grieved at the sudden passing.

She was born at Chicago, Ill., on September 4, 1875, the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Julius Koslicki. She was united in marriage to John Chelewski at Ashton, Neb., on February 22, 1892. Four daughters and three sons were born to this union, one son, Nicholas, passing away in 1925 in Colorado. He is buried in Douglas Park cemetery.

Mrs. Chelewski came with her husband to Wyoming in 1901. They were residents of Orin for about ten years and then moved to Douglas. This had been her home since that time except for a few years of residence in Casper several years ago.

She is survived by her husband; four daughters, Mrs. Mae Pardee of Denver, Mrs. Alice Panowicz of St. Paul, Neb., Mrs. Mary Waddell and Mrs. Mary Jaameson of Casper; two sons, Edward of Broken Bow, Neb., and Anton of Casper; nineteen grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

Rosary services were held at the Hofmann Chapel Wednesday evening and funeral rites were conducted at 9:00 o'clock this morning at St. James Catholic church. Interment was in Douglas Park cemetery in the family plot beside the grave of her departed son.

Out-of-town relatives here for the funeral were the four daughters and two sons as listed above; the following grandchildren - Mr. and Mrs. Earl Werner, Mrs. Jack Gray, Mrs. Pete Sassa and Richard Wilson, all of Casper; and a nephew and niece, Mr. and Mrs. C.E. Watkins of Sioux City, Ia.